A former Premier League footballer is amongst the favourites to become Durham’s new director of cricket.
Steve Harper, currently Newcastle United’s head of academy, is understood to be one of the frontrunners to succeed recently appointed England selector Marcus North in the role, along with Neil Killeen, the ECB’s elite bowling coach.
Harper, 51, was the longest-serving player in Newcastle’s history, spending 20 years at St James’ Park between 1993-2013, before having two seasons in the top flight with Hull City. He has been Newcastle’s academy director for the past five years, a period which was interrupted in September 2023 when he suffered a stroke.
Harper has a masters degree in sport directorship and is understood to have an ambition to diversify from football. A keen cricketer, he plays at South Northumberland, the club where Australian North, a friend of his, was based before taking over at Chester-le-Street in 2018.
His experience of a strong youth production line would align well with a club renowned for providing players for England – Emilio Gay’s debut last week represented the 13th from the club out of the 109 most recently-capped Test cricketers, stretching back to Steve Harmison in 2002.
Football and cricket do have a history of crossover, with players like Arnie Sidebottom and Phil Neale playing professionally across both sports up until the 1980s. Warwickshire’s Keith Barker, who came to cricket late after playing in the EFL with Blackburn and Rochdale, worked as one of Aston Villa’s scouts when he was at Hampshire. And Richard Gould, son of football manager Bobby Gould, was Bristol City’s chief executive before taking on the same position with the ECB.
Former Newcastle goalkeeper Steve Harper is in the running to become Durham’s new director of cricket to replace Marcus North, England’s new selector
The ECB’s elite bowling coach, Neil Killeen (right), is also in the mix for the Durham role
Killeen, 50, spent 30 years as a player and coach with Durham before being snapped up by the ECB to replace Jon Lewis in January 2023. His internal knowledge would be viewed as a plus point and the arrival of Troy Cooley as national pace bowling lead coach earlier this year has arguably diluted his influence with the country’s best seamers.
One other possibility Durham are considering is asking Ryan Campbell to combine DOC responsibilities with his head coach role until the end of this season and review the situation during the winter months.
If Australian Campbell stepped up, the club could potentially make a move for former Yorkshire coach Ottis Gibson, who still lives in Chester-le-Street 19 years after his stint with Durham ended his playing days. The 57-year-old got Yorkshire promoted in 2024 and won the Pakistan Super League as a head coach earlier this year. He is currently back with West Indies, who he led to Twenty20 World Cup glory as head coach, on a 100-day-a-year bowling consultancy.
Harmison would also be an option if his son Charlie, 18, was not breaking into Durham’s Second XI as a promising pace bowler. The conflict of interest would not be comfortable for someone of Harmison’s character.
In the meantime, Durham have homegrown England seamer Matthew Potts out of contract at the end of the season and are expected to field offers for Netherlands all-rounder Colin Ackermann, who plays all formats and averages in excess of 40 in first-class cricket.
Sussex man Crocombe is turning heads
It is at the other end of the country, however, that most counties are turning their eyes in the search of free agents.
And of the eight players crisis club Sussex are braced to lose because of the financial restrictions placed upon them by the ECB, pacy England Lions bowler Henry Crocombe is attracting most attention.
Five Test-hosting counties in Lancashire, Nottinghamshire, Surrey, Warwickshire and Yorkshire have notified the player of their interest. And Daily Mail Sport can reveal that Nottinghamshire were the first club after June 1 – the date upon which clubs can approach soon-to-be free agents – to set up a meeting with the 24-year-old and his representatives. Moving to Trent Bridge would offer Crocombe the chance to work under renowned bowling coach Kevin Shine.
Sussex seamer Henry Crocombe is attracting a lot of attention from the Test-hosting counties
Sussex’s Fynn Hudson-Prentice is also seeking pastures new with his county in financial strife
Like Surrey, who are also certain to be strong contenders for his signature, Nottinghamshire possess the depth in their bowling arsenal to allow effective rest and rotation. Yorkshire spoke internally about Crocombe after the recent draw between the sides in Leeds with Joe Root particularly impressed with the pace he generated in second and third spells.
Sussex are resigned to having their side dismantled over the coming months, with a raft of departures required to meet a £500,000 slash in the cricket budget ordered by the ECB.
Insiders feared that form would dip as June approached because of the uncertainty engulfing Hove. Even those who want to stay are unlikely to be able to, with Sussex unable to offer new deals to any of their current squad. Anyone that did notify the club’s director of cricket, Paul Farbrace, of a desire to extend terms at the club would receive an offer drawn up by ECB negotiators.
However, evidence of an infrangible team spirit developing in adversity was shown during a recent appraisal when rising star James Coles – the highest earner at the recent Hundred auction with a £390,000 contract from London Spirit – said any performance-related county pay rise he merited should be used instead towards re-engaging one of those primed for the exit door.
Multi-format batsmen Tom Alsop and Tom Clark are seeking pastures new along with all-rounders Fynn Hudson-Prentice and Danny Lamb.
If deals are agreed elsewhere by Sussex’s players, it remains a distinct possibility that some would leave early via an initial loan move this summer, removing them from the pay roll and returning much needed money into the club’s accounts in the process.
Leicestershire and Derbyshire are amongst those keen on Hudson-Prentice, although in the shorter term the Foxes are making a temporary move for Kent’s Joey Evison. Growing up in nearby Lincolnshire, Evison is expected to feature in the Foxes’ two Division One home fixtures this month against Essex and Yorkshire.
Sussex’s multi-format batsman Tom Alsop will also leave the struggling county
Leicestershire are making a temporary move for Kent batsman Joey Evison who is expected to feature in the Foxes’ two Division One home fixtures this month against Essex and Yorkshire
Jones out in the cold
Worcestershire are not thought to be offering a new contract to batsman Rob Jones, a member of their one-day champion team last September, but seemingly surplus to requirements and regularly playing Cheshire League cricket with Nantwich.
Jones may soon have an international colleague alongside him on Saturday afternoons in the form of New Zealand veteran Lou Vincent, who is currently qualifying for the club’s first XI by making four appearances in the seconds, scoring a hundred in his second game last weekend.
Counties seek clarity over Pakistan duo
Meanwhile, Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire were seeking clarification on what Pakistan’s training camps mean for the ongoing availability of Mohammad Ali and Mohammad Abbas respectively.
Both players were given No Objection Certificates to play county cricket around their international commitments this summer, prior to 49 cricketers being summoned for extensive one-on-one, fitness and skill sessions lasting until September 18.
